If I Could Turn Back Time
by moonlitefaery
Summary: When their own war was lost, she risked everything to go back to the first and change it.  Time Turner  HG/SS
1. Prologue

**AN: So I noticed a lot of time turner stories that have Hermione go back and meet the marauders and fall in love with Snape then she returns to the future and she's not allowed to change the course of history and yada yada yada. This is not one of those stories. This time Hermione Granger knowingly goes back in time and forces time to change, knowing that it could cost her her own future.**

**If I Could Turn Back Time**

**Prologue**

They thought she had died with the rest of them; it was just as well, no one could know her plan. It took every ounce of Gryffindor determination left in her to crawl away as she had. They were gone, all of them, or most of them. They lost the battle of Hogwarts due to time; they just couldn't get the diadem and snake destroyed in time. Bodies littered the ground as the Death Eaters celebrated their victory. She was piled underneath the bodies of Lupin and Tonks unmoving until it was safe, until they went inside the castle to reclaim their territory. She knew time was of the essence, for these vile creatures would spend the next day or so celebrating and wouldn't think to double check for survivors. All she had to do was apparate safely to her hide out and complete her task. She never told the boys of her back up plan, she had worked in secret during those nights lying awake 'keeping guard' while they hunted for horcruxes. It was a 'what if' plan; 'what if' they didn't complete the destruction of the horcruxes. She risked everything to do it, to finesse the spell that would send her back to the beginning of it all. It wouldn't matter though, she had nothing left here; if they discovered she had survived she would become a slave to some malicious Death Eater family, probably the Malfoy's, or worse. There was nothing left of this desolate world. She would go back, knowing that she would never be able to return to the future, if she survived that is. She would lose her place in the Golden Trio to ensure their survival, and possibly her own. There were so many warnings with time, one was not supposed to change the course of events, but she didn't care. She had broken the rules before and she would do it again, all for the 'greater good' as Dumbledore would say. She knew his secrets, he would have to help her in her mission, it was the only way.

Hardened by war, blood, death and destruction, Hermione Granger crawled out from the immovable bodies of her dead friends. She didn't need to fully stand, it would drawl too much attention anyway, but she could kneel and still apparate.

"Just a quick turn…" She muttered to herself as she felt someone grab her elbows in mid flight.

They landed inside the remains of her parent's basement. Thank god her parents had already left for Austrailia months before. Her arm, already broken and bleeding from the battle, grabbed her wand from within her battered robes and pointed it to her capture.

"What do you want, traitor." She snarled into the face of her dark haired former Potions professor. At one time she feared him, at one time she pitied him, but now she felt nothing but contempt for him.

"Careful what you say, witch." He returned the snarl. One thing was for certain, though she held her wand pointed towards his chest, he made no move to return the favor.

"Then answer my question." She lowered her wand to grab the one artifact she needed to complete the ritual. She didn't dare carry with her in battle in case it was discovered or by accident took her back before it was necessary. She watched his eyes go wide in understanding, or semi understanding of what she planned to do.

"Going back a few hours only ensures that you will be forced to endure the same fate a second time, Miss Granger." His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her grasp the edges of the time turner but she made no move to turn it, not even to put it around her neck. Instead she held it in her palm near the cement floor as though she planned to smash it.

"Professor, you should know me better than that." She allowed a smirk to grace her war scarred face and held the fragile chained hour glass loosely. She had the pleasure of watching the confusion mask his Roman features, still not understanding her intended goal. She would only have one shot to do this, she knew her calculations were precise, and she knew he would make no effort to stop her now.

She waved her wand high in the air and with the grace and power of someone twice her age she yelled the words that would change all of their lives forever.

"Vignti Tempus!" She cried and smashed the hour glass upon the floor and minutes later Hermione Granger no longer existed in 1997.


	2. Chapter One

**AN: Oh, and as always I don't own anything except the computer I type this on. Enjoy!**

**Chapter One**

June 1977

Hermione Granger landed unceremoniously in the dark cold waters of Hogwarts Lake.

'Well isn't this grand.' She mumbled aloud as she spit out the murky water and began swimming towards the shore before the Giant Squid got any ideas; or the mermaids for that matter. It looked to be about twilight and the weather felt warm enough that it had to be sometime near summer. She wasn't sure what month or day the spell would bring her back, just the year. She had hoped it would be after school let out for summer so she wouldn't have to deal with most of the professors or the students wondering who she was and where she came from. She noticed the faces of students in Gryffindor Tower and knew that school hadn't finished yet. What she was grateful for was the lack of students outside. Voldemort at this point would be reaching his peak power and influence, and just like in 1997, the professors and Headmaster would be enforcing strict rules about allowing students to go wondering around after dark.

Upon reaching the shore she raised her wand and muttered a quick charm to dry her clothes. Not too familiar with many healing charms, however, she was forced to rip a corner of her robes to wrap her bleeding hand from where it connected between the glass time turner and the floor.

'This is it, Granger.' She muttered to herself. 'There's no way of going back now even if you wanted to.'

"Who are you?" A voice snarled in the distance. It sounded remotely familiar to her, but coming from the shadows of the Whomping Willow she couldn't quite make out the figure who was currently pointing their wand at her head.

'Blasted short genes.' She thought to herself humorously and raised her eyes to a familiar face.

"Hello Snape. If you'd be so kind to escort me to the Headmaster I'd be much obliged." She had learned long ago the only way to get anything past Severus Snape, no matter the age, was to confuse him. Keep him guessing and he wouldn't have time to figure out ten ways to curse you.

"How do you know my name?" He snarled, lowering his wand ever so slightly. It was all the time she needed.

"Petrificus Totalis." Hermione mumbled under her breath. She didn't really need him to take her to the Headmaster. But keeping him immobile meant that she would have enough time to get up to the Headmaster and explain the situation before he could do anything.

"You really don't want me to answer that, sir. Oblivate" As soon as he was peacefully staring up at the night sky in mindless wonder, Hermione took off to the castle under a disillusionment charm.

The trickiest part was guessing what forsaken Muggle candy was the password to the Headmaster's office. Luckily by the 15th try she guessed right with 'Licorice.'

She knew his office was warded and he'd be able to see her coming from the bottom of the stone stairs but she also knew his curiosity would allow her to come up and explain the situation. Especially since she made sure to transfigure her previous Muggle outfit into the Gryffindor robes she had once donned.

The large wooden door at the top of the stairwell had already opened by the time she arrived and she had to swallow the lump in her throat at the sight of the once dead Headmaster sitting very much alive behind his mahogany desk.

"Sir, I know you don't know me, at least not in this time, but I have a proposition for you." She stated with a slight quiver in her voice. The Headmaster raised one eyebrow and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"My name is Hermione Granger, and I live in the year 1997. When I left Voldemort had killed just about every member of the Order and him and his Death Eaters had taken over the magical world." She could tell his curiosity was peaked, as well as a sadness wash over his clear blue eyes. It had not been what he was expecting.

"I have come back, to this time to enlist your help and the help of Sirius Black. I have come back to ask you to help me destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes and Voldemort himself before he has a chance to destroy our future." 'And that of my best friends…' She thought sadly to himself. She watched a light flicker in his eyes…

'So he knows about horcruxes in this time…'

"I understand why you ask for my help, Miss Granger. I have often thought that Voldemort would find a way to attempt immortality. I'm not certain why you need the help of Mr. Black, however."

"He will have access to at least two, possibly of them, sir." She replied. It was true. Sirius would be able to contact his brother, Regulus who would rescue the locket. He would also have access to the oldest wizarding vaults in Gringotts, where they could sneak into his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange and rescue Helga's cup. Also, if they could get Regulus to help, he would be able to sneak into Malfoy's manor and retrieve the journal. She knew Dumbledore would already have the ring, and the diadem was somewhere in the castle. That left just the snake and then Voldemort himself. It was risky, but it was their best shot. The only problem was that they had to take their time, and be sure that James and Lily married and stayed safe. She may not be able to grow up alongside Harry anymore, but at least she could save his family and ensure that he grew up safe and loved, and maybe even have brothers and sisters. But for now her mission was to ensure a safe future for the whole wizarding world in general.

"Miss Granger, you understand the rules of time travel, do you not?" He asked the young witch in front of him. He took in her appearance, torn robes, bloodied hands and face. Starved. He knew she had seen hell and back again…

"Yes sir. But in this regard I am making the decision to forgo the rules. For the 'greater good.'" She watched his eyes light up at his once favorite expression. She had him at that moment.

"Perhaps you should start from the beginning." So she did. She told him everything.

It was a week before the end of term. The 7th years, the marauders, had already taken their NEWT's and were just awaiting graduation. The rest of the years were anxiously studying for their end of term exams as well. There was a definite tension in the air. Hermione was introduced as Minerva McGonagall's visiting 'niece' who arrived a week early. But no one paid any attention to her, except a pair of dark eyes from the Slytherin table who was too suspicious for his own good.

'Git.' She thought to herself and narrowed her eyes back at the young Severus Snape. She forced a smile on her face at her own inside joke. Eating breakfast at the teacher's table gave her an excellent view of the class of 1977. Hogwart's, it seems never changes, though the uniforms were slightly altered. She looked out to take in the familiar faces for her friends parents.

Lily and the Marauder's were easy to spot at the Gryffindor table, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief that Lily was already wearing an engagement ring so she wouldn't have to worry about ensuring Harry's parents get together. She narrowed her eyes on the traitor Pettigrew and knew that as soon as they could inform Black of their plan, she would inform him of Peter's betrayal so they could ensure that Voldemort never found Potter's home in Godric's Hollow.

"Are you okay, Hermione." The younger looking Professor McGonagall asked worriedly as she took in her 'niece's' scowl. They had informed her, partially, of what was going on and why they needed the alibi and the Transfiguration Professor was only too happy to help.

"Yes. It's hard looking out and seeing these people and knowing what happened." She muttered in a soft whisper so that the other professor's wouldn't hear. Her mentor nodded in understanding.

"If it's as bad as you say it is; then it's a good thing you found a way back to help change it all." She replied in an equal soft whisper. It was true, there was no guarantee anymore that these people would die, or be on the run. She was here to ensure a better future for as many as possible, to the ones who deserved it. If she was truly successful she could save both of Harry's parents, ensure that Sirius wouldn't spend over a decade in Azkaban, save the Longbottom's from a life of insanity so that they could raise their son, and maybe, just maybe change the fate of one surly Potion's professor as well.

"So what's the plan sir?" Hermione asked as she turned to her left and addressed the Headmaster.

"I think you should get to know Sirius and the others. With exams over they spend their days outside by the lake. Earn their trust but do not tell them anything yet. I need to go over the information you gave me and figure out how we're going to enlist Mr. Black without giving him too much information."

"Why can't we inform him of everything?" McGonagall asked.

"If he tells James and Lily more than necessary, then the future that Miss Granger is hoping for could be hurt. If we told him that they are going to get married in this year and have a child in that year, then they could change that. James and Lily's future has to remain as close to the same as possible."

"We could make him swear an oath." Hermione quipped.

"It would ensure that he can help and be informed without telling his friends too much." She finished quickly, noticing that most of the teachers and students were already starting to leave for their morning lessons.

"We'll do both. We will tell him only what he needs to know, and make sure he cannot give too much information away." The Headmaster replied and both women nodded in understanding.

"Miss Granger. I trust you to do what's necessary. I will notify you if anything changes before then." Hermione nodded and got up from the teacher's table to follow the Gryffindor's outside to the lake.

"It's a lot to take in; if what she says is true about the future." Minerva stated to her friend and confidant.

"I read her memories. What she told us of the future is true." He solemnly replied. The twinkle in his blue eyes not as prominent as usual. Minerva shook her dark head in disgust. Even with the little bit he told her, she felt disturbed. She knew that the Dark Lord was gathering followers and that he had plans to turn their world into something more 'pure'. She never thought, not in a million years, that it would bring about the entire destruction of their magical lives. If what Miss Granger told them was true, there wouldn't even be enough 'Purebloods' in the future to carry on a magical race without some form of incest occurring. Perhaps the Dark Lord didn't foresee himself losing so many supporters in the future. Even with him winning, he wouldn't have many left to govern over.

She beat the others to the lake, sitting near her favorite tree and reading a book on Advanced Transfiguration. She hadn't been able to read for pleasure in so long she almost forgot what it felt like. They had spent the past year hunting horcruxes and fighting the Dark Lord that she almost forgot she never got a chance to finish her schooling, to take her own NEWT exams. Perhaps if their mission was successful, she could come back and join one of the younger classes and finish that last year. Or maybe, since she had excelled in all her classes to begin with they would just let her take the exams themselves on good faith.

'Too much wishful thinking, Granger.' She thought darkly to herself. She barely survived the future battle against Voldemort. She came back in time to ensure she didn't fail a second time. If that meant sacrificing herself in this time to allow the future of her friends and loved ones so be it. Surviving one war was risky, surviving two was almost impossible.

"So Padfoot, have you two finished planning your wedding yet? I know I already have your bachelor party figured out." The voice of Sirius Black laughed as the group approached Hermione's spot by the lake.

"That's comforting." Lily Evan's replied lightheartedly as she grasped her fiance's hand into her own.

"Hermione, right? You're Professor McGonagall's niece?" The kind voice of Remus Lupin asked as he spotted the brunette reading her book near their own special lake side spot. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to burst into tears at the sight of the younger version of her friend, teacher, and fellow Order member.

"Yes. Pleasure to met all over you." 'ALMOST, all of you.' She thought the last part to herself as she noticed the short plump body of Peter Pettigrew cowering behind James.

"So, Hermione. What's the old broad like as an aunt?" Sirius asked seconds before Lily smacked her hand across his dark head.

"Completely useless. Sorry about him." She smiled at Hermione. The pictures that Harry had didn't do the young woman justice. She was an extremely beautiful woman with her auburn hair and green eyes. It was no wonder that Harry would date Ginny in the future for she looked very similar to his mother, except for the eyes.

"Lily Evans. This is my fiancé James Potter." She motioned beside her to the dark haired brown eyed man she held hands with. Hermione smiled and nodded in response. This was what she came here to save, and if she was lucky she could allow Harry to have the kind of future he deserved.

"These idiots are his friends: Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black." Her voiced dropped in annoyance at the latter's name which only caused the dark haired dark eyed young man to smile even greater. Sirius was just as handsome in his youth as he would be in his adulthood, after he cleaned up from his time spent in prison, of course.

"So, Hermione… tell us about yourself." James smiled as the group sat down around her. She thought over a second at the story McGonagall and her had come up with last night. Minerva had a younger sister with two children: a boy and a girl. Hermione would take the place of her daughter, a recent graduate of Beauxbaton's Academy of Magic who was currently taking a year off of her studies to 'travel.' Her niece's real name was Helene, so it was close enough they could figure. They doubted anyone would be interested enough, at least at first, to dig any deeper on her whereabouts.

"Not much to say. Grew up in England but when to school at Beauxbaton's because of Aunt Minerva." Hermione was glad for all the years of French her parents insisted on her learning.

"I graduated last year but since I'm not certain what I want to do yet, I've decided to take the year off and sight see."

"She's a slacker! I like her already." Sirius joked as the rest of the group joined in. She missed this, she missed this carefree leisure so much it hurt. It was not the same time, and these were not the same people, but they had been on the run for so long; never knowing when they would get caught, when they would eat next. The next year or two would prove to be just a dangerous. She had barely escaped the destruction of the horcruxes the first time, and now she would have to relive those moments in a new way, all of them. Last time they hadn't succeeded, this time they had to, or their world could suffer an even worse future than the one she had left.

And so they talked, and got to know one another even though in some ways Hermione knew a lot about them anyway, at least with Remus and Sirius. They talked futures, and favorites, and possibilities as the sun rose and began to set.

"If you're still in England, Hermione, you're more than welcome to come to the wedding in October." Lily mentioned still holding Jame's hand.

"I'd be honored." Hermione replied with a genuine smile. A wedding, just like Bill and Fleur's the summer before they left to hunt Voldemort's horcruxes. She was curious though, about Jame's and his family. Harry had been forced to live with Lily's sister, Petunia. But Sirius had mentioned staying over at Jame's house because his parent's always welcomed him. She never researched how Harry's paternal grandparents died.

"It's starting to get dark, we should probably head inside for dinner." Lily mentioned as the small group got up from their place beside the lake and headed inside. Hermione paused for a moment, recognizing a dark headed figure on the opposite side of the lake watching them. The marauders hadn't seen him, which she was grateful for. She knew the pranks they had pulled on Snape, how they and Lily had drove him into the hands of the Dark Lord. The damage was already done; at this point if he didn't already have the Mark, he would receive it not long after leaving Hogwarts and join his new master with pride.

"Go ahead inside, I just want to finish this section and I'll join you at the Gryffindor table." Hermione smiled as they said their temporary goodbyes. She didn't have to look up to feel his shadow moving closer from his spot across the lake.

"Can I help you?" Hermione asked, knowing he wouldn't fully remember her from the previous night since she obliterated his memory of seeing her wash ashore. He didn't say anything for a while, just stared at her with his luminous dark eyes. The younger Snape was a great deal more attractive than the bitter older man he would later become. She wondered if he made himself that way on purpose, to ward off others with his greasy hair, yellowed teeth and twice broken hooked nose. The younger Snape's hair was still long, but glossy. His teeth were perfectly straight and white, and his nose, though still larger than most, looked like it had only been broken once, not twice. He was attractive in a classic Roman way. But this Snape was a great deal more evil than his future counterpart. This man hadn't yet sought out Dumbledore for redemption. This man, this version of Snape had just given his alliance to the Dark Lord and was not someone she wanted to cross, especially outside on a dark night…

"If you're not going to say anything then I'll just take my leave if you don't mind." She finished closing her book and stood up from underneath the tree. Still cursing the fact that he had about a foot more height to him then she did.

"If I were you, I'd be careful who you ally with." He sneered, indicating his apparent disgust at her choice of friends.

"I could say the same." She replied as she took her leave of him and headed back inside the safety of the castle.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

She was given a spare room that connected to Professor McGonagall's since they were supposed to be family. Initially she felt uncomfortable invading the private living space of her friend and mentor but she managed to settle in alright. The older woman had given her a set of spare clothes to transfigure into what she would need while she was there. It wasn't much, but it would ensure a few spare sets of robes and Muggle clothes to fit into the time. She was never a big fan of the 70's era clothing. She was too short to pull off the bell bottoms look and the high waist made her feel like she was wearing maternity jeans. But she had to become a product of her time period, and if that meant suffering to the horrendous fashion crazes, then so be it.

"I see you were successful today." Minerva smiled as they sat in the common room sipping tea later that evening.

"Yes. They're very easy to get along with. Very much like my friends back home." Hermione mentioned with a sad smile. Her friends back home no longer existed, hence her mission here.

"It's hard to believe what happens in the future here. All those lives lost, everything we've worked towards shattered in an instant." The older woman replied while shaking her head.

"There's a relative time of peace when James and Lily's son is growing up. But as he starts school all the trouble comes back tenfold. Minerva, what blood status is your niece? Should I be worried?" Hermione asked anxiously. It hadn't come up last night while they finalized their story.

"Our side of the family is Pureblood, relatively anyway. My brother-in-law, rest his soul, was a Muggle born I believe. I only met him a few times before he was killed in a car crash. The children were barely out of infancy when it happened. I'll write to my sister and ask her a bit more, as well as tell her to make sure my actual niece lays low for the time being."

"I don't want to put your family's life in jeopardy. We can change the story. Make me an honorary niece, a daughter of your best friend or something. Muggle's do it all the time. I'll just say attended school with your actual niece." The younger woman mentioned.

"I suppose that would suffice. We should still make sure to tell people you're a Half Blood if they ask. They won't try to recruit you, but neither will they harm you either." The older woman replied. Hermione took a sip of her cooling tea and leaned back into the plush green couch cushion.

"It seems that's the best status to have, in both worlds. Purebloods are expected to join _his_ ranks otherwise be labeled a blood traitor and Muggleborns are targeted and told that they shouldn't even exist."

"It would appear so. I have tonight's patrol. Get some rest Hermione, you've had a rough time of it as of late. You need a good night's rest." And with those words the Transfiguration Professor left the comfort of her rooms and walked out into the night leaving a puzzled young woman to her thoughts.

She slept like the dead. It had been far too long since she felt the comfort of a good night's sleep. It was amazing she even slept at all, but between running from Death Eaters and traveling back twenty years in time takes a lot out of somebody. She was finally catching up on some much needed sleep, and eating three solid meals a day to gain back some of the weight she had lost on the run. It wasn't much, but it was a start. The Mediwitch had healed a majority of her injuries the night before, except the one on her hand. The mark left by her flight into the past would forever be scared into her palm. A reminder on what she was really fighting for.

"Hey you decided to join us! Finally!" Sirius quipped after Hermione finally managed to make it down to breakfast on time having skipped last night's supper.

"I heard food was important to survival and all and figured I'd give it a try." She quickly remarked causing the group of Gryffindor's to barrel out in laughter. She took a seat between Lily and Remus and began loading food onto her plate. She chanced a quick glance at the high table and saw the nod of approval from Dumbledore and McGonagall and smiled in retaliation. The boys were busy telling her about their younger days and Hermione laughed at the appropriate moments, but she couldn't help but feel as though someone was watching her. She glanced around at the other tables but no one was paying the marauders any attention. The 5th years looked busy studying the last of their OWLs while the younger students chatted animatedly about the end of final exams.

'Must be paranoid.' Hermione thought to herself right before locking eyes with the dark eyed former Potion's Master. She had hoped his sudden interest in her would ease up a bit since she erased his memory but he was proving to be contradictory in that aspect. His gaze made the hairs on her arms spike up and a flush appear on her neck and cheeks.

"…and so I told the git that he better stay away from her, and she's been with me ever since." James finished. She hadn't been paying attention, but she gathered from the last sentence he had been talking about the day Snape called Lily a Mudblood and became closer friends with the marauders instead.

"So how are the plans for the wedding coming along?" Hermione asked Lily as she bit into a piece of toast.

"Very well. My parents aren't very happy that I'm getting married so soon after school but I assured them that we have planned everything out. We even have a house, it's not much but it's ours. James' parents passed away last year and left him a great deal of funds and we both agreed that their house is just too big for the both of us so we settled on something smaller in Godric's Hollow."

"I heard it's positively lovely there." Hermione mentioned thinking back to the day her and Harry visited the village. Though they barely made it out alive, the place felt quaint and charming; somewhere she could picture herself living one day.

"The wedding itself is just going to be a small event, nothing too big. Close friends and family mostly though we invited some of the professors as well." James finished before taking a sip of coffee.

"And of course there's the extremely handsome best man…" Sirius announced with a charming grin as he placed his arms around Hermione's thin shoulders. The man certainly was a flirt in every sense of the word. She wasn't surprised to see the girls at Hogwart's following him around with hearts in their eyes. It was also no wonder that Snape hated him so much in his youth and his adulthood.

"So Miss Hermione. Are you going to be joining us for another lovely day out on Hogwarts grounds? I heard 7th years might even be allowed down to Hogsmeade since our exams are over. Not that you need permission to go there of course." Remus asked shyly. Hermione felt a pull of sympathy for the younger Remus. He hadn't had an easy life as he lost all of his closest friends, or thought he had. It takes him returning to Hogwarts as a professor in Hermione's 3rd year to find out that Sirius wasn't a traitor and they rekindled their friendship only to lose him two years later in the Department of Mysteries. It took him even longer to find love, to open himself up to the possibility of a life with another human being, especially with his debilitating condition. It would take him 36 years to find the love of his life, only to lose himself and her to the Dark Lord's reign of terror a year later, after the birth of their only child, a boy, named Teddy.

"I need to some research for Aunt Minerva in the library, but I'll be down to join you in the afternoon. Send a message if you go to Hogsmeade though, I'll join you there." Hermione replied as she gathered her things to head to the library. They nodded in acceptance and went back to their conversation. A pair of dark eyes watched the thin girl depart the Great Hall in curiosity.

'Something about her.' He pondered to himself. He felt as though he should remember something, something important about her, but he couldn't put a finger on it. So he did the next best thing, he stalked her. She was safe game, being a Half Blood like himself, not the greatest, but not off limits, not like Lily…

He followed her down the hall and towards the library, wondering why a woman who had already graduated would be researching anything in a foreign library. The only people there at this time of the day would be 5th years studying for the last of their finals, and a few 1st years who had yet to finish their end of year exams. She was heading towards the Restricted Section, since she was not a student she didn't need permission to be in there.

'Curious.' He thought as he kept a fair distance away grabbing the first book closest to him on 'Water Plants and Their Healing Properties.'

She knew he was watching her. She felt him follow her all the way to the library but she hadn't the faintest clue as to why. She needed to keep a low profile, and if he was sniffing around now, it could get back to his 'master' and her cover would be blown. She had already obliterated his memory once, she didn't want to have to do it again.

Hermione spent the next two hours looking through some darker spell books. She knew she would need the extra power while hunting down the horcruxes in this time. In the future they had been on the run, so it didn't matter if they drew too much attention after the fact, like during their infiltration into the Ministry or Gringotts. But this time was different, they needed as much cover and quiet as possible. If they gave away too soon that they knew about the horcruxes then they would stand little chance of changing the future. They could still defeat the Dark Lord, let his spirit wonder to Romania or wherever he hid during those long ten years. They could use the time to finish destroying the horcruxes, but a piece of him would still be out there, and could return. It was just easier to finish this all at once, while they could. If they should fail then at least that would leave Harry a few less horcruxes to deal with anyway and he could still stand a chance.

"Is there any reason you find it necessary to follow me lately?" Hermione whispered with her wand pointed at the back of Severus's head. He whipped around so fast she nearly fell over in surprise, but her steady hand never left her wand. He had the predatory prowess of a cat, contrary to the animal crest of his own house. He look surprised for a moment, before that mask of indifference she had known so well in her youth passed over his harsh features.

"It's a public library, Granger." He smirked and she felt her knees shake ever so slightly. There was a darkness in his eyes, surrounding him, but not completely. She knew he wasn't completely evil, even though he would grow up to kill the greatest Headmaster Hogwart's ever had. He had also risked his life for her and her friends numerous times over the years. He wasn't meant to be a Death Eater, his family, his friends, his enemies and one particular red headed woman made him this way.

"That may be, Snape, but I don't appreciate people spying on me while I research." The Gryffindor pride in her wouldn't let her back down from his dominating presence. She knew her new friends would be expecting her to be outside soon, and they were far enough in the corner that no one else could see or hear them. For all intense and purposes, they were alone.

"Maybe I like spying on you. Maybe you intrigue me." He was backing her up against the barrier separating the Restricted Section from the rest of the Library. Years of defense spells flew from her mind as he placed his arms on either side of her smaller frame. But the fire, the pride that made her a true Gryffindor at heart never left her eyes.

"I don't associate with Death Eaters." She tersely replied pushing his arms out of the way and half walking, half running out of the library. The sound of his laughter followed her all the way out to the lake.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The man brought out too many emotions in her: anger, hurt, fear, pity, just to name a few. She realized it wasn't just the older version of him that brought about those emotions, but the younger version as well. As she walked with her friends towards Hogsmeade to enjoy an afternoon of junk food, drinks, and laughs, she couldn't help but remember the shiver or the blush that her traitorous body caused when in his presence. The boys were off in Honeydukes having the time of their lives when Hermione got an idea to pull Lily aside and talk privately.

"Lily, I know we just met and I feel horrible for meddling, but why do you and the guys seem to hate Snape so much."

"Well, it's a long story. I met Severus long before I started Hogwarts. We grew up near each other, you see, and he was the one to tell me about my powers, since I was a Muggle born and all. I tried to remain good friends with him, and stand up for him when the boys would make fun of him. I don't know why they dislike him so much, they're guys so I guess they just needed someone to pick on and he was the first to retort. But then one day, I was trying to defend him, and he called me a…he called me… a Mudblood. Slytherin's are usually the only ones that use that derogatory term; especially those who are following _Him_. I knew then that he was choosing his future, and I was choosing mine. So we stopped talking, and I finally gave in to James's pathetic attempts at asking me out. I never looked back." She replied courteously. She knew about the 'Mudblood' incident, but she never knew that Snape had met Lily long before they started school, had been close friends even. It could explain why he felt the need to protect Harry all those years, not because James saved his life, but because he was protecting Lily's son. It was worth looking into and could help Hermione in saving his life and future as well.

By dinner that night I finally received a cue from the Headmaster. I watched as an owl delivered an official letter to Sirius Black's hands and the carefree times with my new friends would become slightly by this evening.

"What's it say, Padfoot?" James asked while leaning over his should to read the elegant scrawl of the Headmaster.

"Just that he wants to meet with me after dinner. Nothing more than that." He replied with a shrug. I chanced a quick glance at the Head Table and saw Dumbledore wink over his glass and McGonagall nervously tapping her fingers across her goblet. Tonight Sirius would be informed of the dangerous game they would all have to play, and the terrible fate of his closest friends should they fail.

"Why does old Snivilous keep glancing at you, Hermione?" James asked as he noticed the Slytherin's periodic eye contact at the curly haired brunette.

"No idea. I'll see you guys tomorrow though. I promised Aunt Minerva I'd fill her in on the information I got from the library earlier." Hermione replied as she picked up her bag and walked ahead of the rest of the group. She knew the Headmaster and McGonagall would expect her to be in his office before Sirius arrived. The other two had left the hall five minutes earlier than she did. Though of course someone wasn't going to make the trip upstairs easy…

"Out without your bodyguards to protect you? Shame, Miss Granger…" His deep baritone voice trailed off. The tone and the title reminded her of her first year in Potion's when he called her an Insufferable Know It All. She nearly laughed at the memory before realizing the seriousness of the situation. One thing the girl could be grateful for was that the majority of the other Slytherin's had already graduated: Lucius, Nott, Belatrix, etc. The only ones left in 7th year were Narcissa and Severus, and Narcissa's younger sister, Andromeda, Tonk's mother. Molly and Arthur had long graduated by then, and already had Bill and possibly Charlie at this point. Alice and Frank Longbottom were here though, but kept mostly to themselves as both were fairly shy individuals, much like their son when he was younger.

"I'm well over 18, I hardly need bodyguard's to protect me, Snape." She spit back in retort. He laughed at her attempt to be scathing. But she kept walking anyway.

"Tell me Miss Granger, do you happen to have any extraordinary talent?" He asked as he followed her up the first set of stairs and towards the Headmaster's hallway. She needed to get him to leave but he wasn't taking the hint.

"No. Absolutely ordinary. Sorry to disappoint you, sir. Now if you please don't mind…" She trailed off but he grabbed a hold of her left arm anyway and forced her to turn around. Those black eyes narrowing slightly and she realized what he was attempting to do. He was attempting to read her mind. Thankfully she could build mental walls that put the Great Wall to shame and could deflect him before he saw anything useful. It made him laugh.

"Now I highly doubt that, Granger." He replied with a laugh.

"What is your sick fascination with me anyway, Slytherin?" The brunette bit back while turning her head up to meet his taller frame. Once again he pulled her out of sight of prying eyes and had her back up against the wall. He leaned in to her right ear before replying in a low growl.

"Maybe I just like a challenge." He whispered into her ear seductively placing a kiss in between the junction of her shoulder and neck. She felt her knees melt and was grateful for the stone wall supporting her back. She vowed to save whoever she could, and if that meant her future mean tempered Potions Professor, then so be it. She had no idea how to seduce a man, but she didn't think she would have to. He was seductive enough for the both of them. She would play his game while she could, and maybe it would make him think twice about joining the others of his House.

"Then you'll have to improve your game, Snape." She replied after gathering what was left of her dignity and storming off in the direction of her initial intention. She watched as he retreated back to the dungeons, a large smirk still gracing his aquiline face.

'Bastard.' She thought as she muttered the password to the gargoyle and went upstairs to meet her fate.

'Hello fate.' She replied to herself and she sat down next to Sirius who had evidently beaten her to the Headmaster's office. McGonagall was already there, standing behind the Headmaster with a worried frown on her face.

"What are you doing here, Hermione?" He asked lightly, not realizing that his future was about to be significantly changed.

"Sirius, we need you to swear an oath, and then there's something we need to talk to you about…" Hermione began with the encouragement of the two adults in the background. It was understood that she would be the one to break the news to him, seeing as how she was the only one who knew the story and had lived it all these years.

"I don't understand," he muttered after an hour of discussion, "How do I end up in prison for 12 years?" He finished.

"Peter betrays James and Lily to Voldemort while being their Secret Keeper for their home. Voldemort finds them, kills them, except their son Harry. You seek out revenge against Pettigrew who cuts off his own appendage and escapes in his Animagus form while you get caught for killing him, and a group of Muggles standing in the way." Hermione explained as her composure was nearly cracking.

"And James and Lily…"

"Will be killed in about two years or so. Pettigrew will hide out until the Dark Lord returns again as a pet of my friend Ron Weasley. You remain in prison until your escape during my third year of school, but you die during our raid at the Department of Mysteries two years later. Remus will survive, barely, until the final battle where him, his wife, Harry, and number of others die at the hands of the Dark Lord who successfully takes over the Magical realm." Hermione continued. It wasn't the best explanation but it had to do. She had already recounted this story twice so far and it brought back too many painful memories. Sirius sat silent for a long time. His anger evident on his face.

"I'll kill the bloody bastard myself!" Sirius shouted as the group took that to mean Peter Pettigrew.

"You can't expose him yet, Sirius. I don't know when he turns. The only thing I do know is you have to limit what you say to him, and never, NEVER let him become the Secret Keeper. It will buy us precious time." McGonagall replied, her own anger at the situation evident on her face as well.

"So how can I help? Why are you only telling me and not the others?" He asked the group around him.

"James and Lily would be best off not knowing, we need their story line to play out as normal as possible. We may end up recruiting Remus though at some point but his knowledge must be limited to what he can know. Hermione can explain a bit better why we need you in particular." The Headmaster wearily replied. He glanced up at the portraits who were all feigning sleep but were listening intently.

"Voldemort decided to split his soul into seven pieces and place those souls into objects of value: Horcruxes. He cannot be destroyed, fully, until all seven pieces have been uncovered and destroyed. Only a powerful magical object can destroy them. In our time the sword of Gryffindor slays a basilisk and it becomes infused with the power to destroy these horcruxes. There are also some powerful spells that will work too, like Fiendfire. We need your help uncovering three of them. Dumbledore already destroyed two, a silver ring that once belonged to Voldemort's mother, a descendant of Slytherin and the lost diadem of Raveclaw that was hidden here in the Room of Requirement. That leaves us with five. Your brother, Regulus, will become if not already, a Death Eater. He knows the location of Slytherin's locket and will uncover it and hide it inside your parent's house." She watched him groan at the mention of his family, knowing as she did that his parents disowned him.

"Also, you are one of the old families and your vaults will be near your cousin, Bellatrix, who marries Lestrange and inside their vault is a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff. You could get us access to the area and we can sneak in and get the cup from there. Also, with your brother's help, we'll need access to the Malfoy's. If there's a Death Eater meeting at Lucius Malfoy's house, inside his library will be a diary that once belonged to Voldemort in his youth. Inside will not be writing, it'll be blank. The diary is also a horcrux. That will leave us only the snake, Nagini, and then Voldemort himself." She finished. Hermione was surprised herself to know that in the two days since she told the Headmaster about the horcruxes that he would swiftly expel the two easiest right away, but she was rather relieved that he had. The diadem was the one object they never destroyed in the future, so it was a start.

"I'll help, anyway I can. I don't want to lose James and Lily. Whatever you need it's yours. Even if it means stepping foot back into that awful house again…" Sirius replied. Hermione smiled, glad that someone now knew her story and she wouldn't have to completely hide any longer.

"Then it's settled. Miss Granger, do you have any further knowledge of when Regulus will turn his back on Voldemort?" The Headmaster asked, bringing the girl out of her reverie.

"Honestly, no. We did not begin hunting for the horcruxes until what would have been my 7th year. Though the locket that Regulus steals Harry and you discovered during our 6th year. He was long since gone by then though we're not sure exactly when. But before he was killed by Voldemort for turning traitor he had switched the locket with a fake and kept the real one hidden at Sirius's mother's house." The young girl replied dutifully, trying not to remember that eventful night when Dumbledore was thrown off the Astronomy Tower by Severus Snape and they discovered for all his efforts the locket had been a fake. She was glad she returned to the past with the full knowledge of everything that had happened, all the horcruxes, otherwise she would have been as lost here as the three of them were in the future when it took them a year to decipher Dumbledore's coded messages he had given Harry.

"Regulus is still a student here. It will be easy to keep an eye on him while inside Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall chimed in.

"We had reason to believe, in the future, that he never came back to finish his final year, Professor. When the marauders graduated their 7th year the war began to fully escalate. Though James and Lily didn't fully hide until after the birth of their son, everyone kept a low profile even before it. In the future Voldemort takes control of the Ministry and has a network of spies everywhere, but in this time he never gained that much power before he was destroyed so we have little to worry about there. He still gains a number of followers and was responsible for killing hundreds of Muggles and Muggleborn witches and wizards before his reign ended." She explained remembering the extensive research her and her two best friends had done prior to leaving on their year long hunt.

"Remind me what Snivillus's part is in all this again?" Sirius asked with a scowl on his face. Hermione took and deep breath and centered herself before continuing.

"He will seek out the Headmaster for a job at Hogwarts, so he can spy on the Headmaster for his overlord. He arrives early to hear a prophecy that a Seer, seeking the empty position of Divination Professor, gives to him. The only problem is, he takes the prophecy to mean James and Lily's son, though there are two boys that are born on July 31st; Harry Potter, and Neville Longbottom, son of Alice and Frank. He returns to tell the Dark Lord the prophecy not realizing that his master will seek out the deaths of all three individuals. He pleads the Dark Lord to save Lily's life, but knows deep down he won't. So Snape will return to Dumbledore and beg for his forgiveness and ask him to protect the Potter's, all of them, at whatever cost. Dumbledore will then demand that Snape becomes HIS spy, and inform him on Voldemort's intentions and whereabouts. The Potter's would have been safe for years, however you, Sirius, allow Peter to become Secret Keeper, and he in return becomes a rat for Voldemort. Pun intended." She finished, exhausted at the long night of conversation. She wasn't sure if they were going to tell Sirius this much, just in case he became too hotheaded and sought justice before it was due, but desperate times and all.

"So you're really from the future?" His usual smile was in place as he tried to liven up the solemnity of the room.

"Yes. I meet you in the future, as you will become Harry's Godfather and guardian for a short time." She smiled back.

"Tell me then. Am I still as charming?" He winked and Hermione took notice of Professor McGonagall rolling her eyes and the Headmaster's twinkle returning to his.

"After you clean up from your time in prison, yes. Though you're a bit more serious, Sirius. But still a handsome dog. Pun intended." She replied back to the now younger man beside her with a laugh. She watched as he sat back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head, a lively smirk warming up his tan features.

"Awesome." He finally replied at last.

"If you're quite finished, Mr. Black. Perhaps it's time you returned back to the Gryffindor dorms and got a good night's sleep. We'll begin working out some details of the where's and when's tomorrow." The older woman mentioned as she walked out from behind the Headmaster's chair.

"I don't need to remind you of your oath, Mr. Black." The Headmaster quipped in all seriousness. The laughter from Black's dark brown eyes died down to burning embers as he shook his head in cooperation.

"I'll walk back to the dorms with you." Hermione arose and followed her friend out of the Headmaster's study.

"You're quite a remarkable woman, Granger. To do what you have done. To risk your own existence for the chance that others will get theirs." He whispered as they walked through the darkened quiet hallways towards Gryffindor Tower. The brunette blushed momentarily and turned her head towards the direction up towards the much taller boy.

"If you had lived and saw what our world would become. You would have done the same. You once risked everything to get to Harry and tell him the truth of your innocence. You risked the Dementor's Kiss to protect your godson. I was just the only one left who could do something about it. It's not bravery, Sirius. More like survival. Had I stayed, I would have suffered a much worse fate. At least now, even if I don't make it, the knowledge is out there for you, for Dumbledore, for McGonagall, already the future has a brighter outlook then when I left it just because now you _know_ what needs to be done to avoid the mess our world becomes." She replied honestly in the same hushed tones. When they reached the portrait, Sirius gave the password and stood back to allow her to enter first. She shook her head in decline.

"I must get back to McGonagall's rooms. I want to finish going over some plans and seeing if there's anything I missed. Tell everyone I said hi, and I'll see them tomorrow at breakfast."

Hermione barely made it halfway back towards her new rooms when a dark figure wearing a Prefects badge caught her by surprise. Though in truth maybe she wasn't that surprised since he'd been stalking her the past three days.

"I wonder if there's such thing as a restraining order in this world." The girl asked the dark haired man beside her as he fell into step.

"Not quite." He replied with a dark smirk. He hadn't made a move to stop her so she kept walking.

"Then did you drink a lust potion or something? Because I honestly don't know why you find it so fascinating to follow me around everywhere."

"Because I don't believe you." Came he reply. That made her stop.

"What do you mean?" She asked trying to keep the slight panic out of her voice that was slowly rising up inside her. She felt him trying to probe her mind once again but her walls came up instantly.

"You don't look anything like Professor McGonagall." He simply retorted back. She laughed, panic ceasing.

"Because it's an honorary term. My mother and hers were close friends long ago as girls." That seemed to appease him, at least temporarily.

"It doesn't explain why you are here." He stated this time grabbing her arm to force her to turn and face him.

"It's illegal to visit a woman I have called an aunt for the past 18 years? Well why don't you just throw me in Azkaban now and get it over with?" She tersely replied shaking her arm out of his grasp.

He glared at her then, not saying anything for a long time. Trying to decipher whether she was lying to him or not. Normally he could tell when others lied to him, it was a talent he had picked up over the years of living with the sly Slytherin's. She was lying, but not lying. Half-truths. The professor was close to her, but there was something else as well, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. She was already getting chummy with the Headmaster and her 'aunt', as well as with Lily and her idiot friends. She was nervous around him, for whatever her own reasons, whether it was because she knew he was a Death Eater or something more he wasn't quite sure. The Dark Lord had promised him Lily as a spoil of war, she would one day be his when their side won this little war. But in the meantime, while she pranced away with Potter and his cohorts, he could pass the time with the pretty brunette before him. She wasn't optimal, but she wasn't off limits; and she had friends in very high places that he could extort for his own advantages.

'Turning him back is going to become the death of me.' Hermione was thinking while Severus was coming to his own conclusions on what to do with her in return. She had never been attracted to the dark, dangerous types before, she never saw the point when she was younger. She usually went after the athletic types, the brazen brave idiots that they were: Krum, and Ron. But part of her had never felt that she fit in completely with her friends and the people around her. She never thought she would have believed it possible but in this time, in this place, fashion choices aside, she finally felt as though she fit into the people around her. Maybe she was destined to come here after all, maybe the things in the future had to happen so she could come back here and find her place. The only problem was: would she be allowed to stay in the end?


	5. Chapter Four

**AN: My heart flutters at every review and alert, thanks a bunch everyone. Oh, and yes I got the title of my story from a Cher moment. I was reading another time turner fic and for some reason that song came into my head (not the first time a story brought on a Glee moment for me) so I figured it would make a perfect title to my own time turner story, and there you have it! Thanks again!**

**Chapter Four**

Her mind was hazy and her eye sight wasn't quite clear. The last thing she remembered was being in the hallway between Gryffindor Tower and Professor McGonagall's private quarters but this room didn't look familiar at all. At least not in its current state. The last time she had been in this room it was prior to the D.A. breaking up in escape.

"What did you do to me!" Fury burned through her cinnamon eyes as she turned on her capture.

"A smart witch, such as yourself should be able to figure that out." The snide reply came as she watched his tall lanky body relax in the plush green couch cushions, his eyes never leaving her face. She also realized that he held her wand in his robe pockets.

"You used an Unforgiveable to get me here you asshole!" She screamed knowing that if he controlled the contours of the room that no one on the outside would be able to hear her shout. It made the smirk on his face widen even more.

"Imperius curse, as I'm sure you're familiar with. Quite a favorite of my kind really. The Dark Lord uses it all the time to get the help he needs so I don't see why you're so shocked that one of his most humble servants wouldn't use it as well." He shrugged out of his outer robe and sat in a simple black shirt and pants. The boy was as predicable as the man he'd grow up to be. She had known that the Dark Lord favorite that particular Unforgiveable, but she couldn't reveal why she knew that. It was the reason so many Death Eater's escaped punishment down the line; they told the courts that they were being manipulated by the Imperius curse to do what they did.

'Bloody fucking liars.' She snarled to herself thinking of Malfoy Sr. and his counterparts.

But it didn't help her current predicament. This particular Death Eater had her in a secret room in Hogwarts and possessed the one thing she needed to escape: her wand. If she was lucky the marauders would be pooling over their infamous map and see that she had disappeared and make some kind of deductions. But then again she was an adult, not a student, and how the pleasure of coming and going at leisure.

"I could turn you in, you know." She shouted at the smirking young man who was still lounging on the couch while she stood near the makeshift fireplace. The room was fairly bare except for two opposing couches, a mantle and small table with various drinks and snacks on it.

"There's four days left of term and I already took my exams. I merely stay with the rest of the on principle, not because I have to. I could be gone and safe long before you opened that pretty little mouth of yours." She flushed at the compliment though she wasn't completely sure it was one.

"So why go through the trouble to bring me here and then lift the curse. Planning on talking me to death?" The curly haired brunette retorted back, not showing the slight panic she was feeling deep within. He had caught her off guard, and he was capable of using an Unforgiveable curse while inside Hogwarts walls, she wasn't safe with this man.

"I told you I find you unbelievably fascinating. I thought perhaps we could get to…know one another." She held back a snort. The Snape she knew in the future would never had said just a sentence in his life…which left only one possible conclusion.

"You're pumping me for information about my friends." Her eyes lit up in understanding and she had the brief pleasure of seeing the affirmation cross his usually masked face for just a second.

"I assure you, Miss Granger, if I was going to be '_pumping_' for anything, it wouldn't be for your appalling taste in company." He retorted back.

'Oh he is _lying_…' she thought to herself before blowing her cover and saying anything out loud. She had to remember she promised to try to change his own future along with that of Harry and the others. She would have to play along with advances and lies if she hoped to save him from a life of self pity and destitute. Not to mention bad hair and teeth and an appallingly conservative wardrobe. So she plastered on her fake smile and sat down across from the younger version of her most hated teacher at Hogwarts.

"Well than Mr. Snape. Why don't you start off this little Q & A?" She replied as sat across from him, legs crossed, smile in place.

"I'd much rather hear more about yourself." He motioned as he poured an amber colored drink into two small glasses and using her own wand to float the second glass into her hands. She bit back the retort she wanted to say, but he could see the disdain in her eyes anyway.

"Firewhiskey?" She quipped taking a sip of the potent drink.

"Top shelf." He replied and nodded in her direction in mock toast.

"A man of good taste." That got the man to smile. Flattery. A woman's best defense.

"So I hear you attended Beauxbaton's?" He started.

"Yes. I excelled in Charms and Transfiguration, though I did fairly well in most other subjects as well." She replied this time she wouldn't be forced to lie, she could tell him this much.

"And yet no job prospect?" He inquired with interest. It was unnerving to have the man who once could scare a student with a simple look in his eyes to be so calm and relaxed here and now. What she knew of him though, it was a dark calm, as though in his mind he had already worked out the Dark Lord's win and his own place in the Inner Circle, prizes and spoils of war at his feet. She had learned to trust this man in the future, but the dark boy of his past was not ready to repent quite yet.

"I wanted the time off, to visit friends and relatives. 18 is too young to be thinking of anything too seriously." She lied easily. Part of her believed that, wished to spend some time, carefree, traveling the world. But the studious part of her youth, the meticulous planner inside her, also had her entire future outlined from studies to marriage to job prospects. But that was another time, another life, and those possibilities died the minute her best friends did, the minute she smashed the hour glass on the floor in front of a shocked dark haired Potions teacher.

"What are your intended goals?" She asked him, wondering if he'd tell her the truth or a partial truth about where he saw himself in the future.

"To become a great Potion's Master." He easily replied. She was shocked for a moment, back in their youth, in her school days, he never gave the impression he enjoyed the subject he taught. She knew he was an excellent student, particularly in potions and the dark arts, but she had always assumed he settled for potions because he could not get the D.A.D.A. job.

"And what would a great potion's master like yourself do per say? Open an Apothecary? Teach?" She tried to egg out of him.

"Whatever is my master's wish, I guess." He said easily. He was not trying to hide his allegiance to Voldemort and she wasn't sure how to take that. It made him more dangerous, but yet more predictable in a way. She thought for a moment how best to respond while sipping more of her drink. She noticed that when the glass got too far low it would automatically refill itself. He was attempting to loosen her tongue through intoxication so she would have to be on guard.

"I don't quite see how a man as intelligent as yourself would ally himself to another's wishes." Back to the flattery. It was true, though she knew the nature of his support for the Dark Lord; it always amazed her that he could easily be swayed by another human's wishes. Especially after seeing how the Dark Lord sometimes treated his most 'loyal' followers through deceit and torture.

"It's a small price to pay for the rewards offered." Subtle and general; he wasn't going to give too much away. Not to mention he could clearly hold his alcohol better than her own.

"And what would be your reward?" She slyly replied with a seductive look on her face. Or as close as she could come to one not being familiar with the art itself. No one in the future would ever call Hermione Granger a seductress, a temptress or even sexy for that matter. They only knew her as a bookworm who sometime around 4th year came into her own looks in a subtle and classically pretty way. But living through what she had, forces you to become different, something darker, and survival takes precedent over shyness.

He took that as a cue to switch couches and join her on the slightly smaller one. Her wand still out of reach though she planned to change that real soon.

"If I'm lucky, I'll have two." He took advantage of her confused look and grabbed her face rather roughly and kissed her with such ferocity that it nearly knocked the wind out of her. He wasn't experienced, then again neither was she except for a rather sloppy make out session with Viktor at the Yule Ball and some stolen kisses with Ron before his untimely death.

It was a kiss of need, a kiss of desperation, and she couldn't help but think that she wasn't the person he was thinking about while doing it. His hands were everywhere at once, in her curly hair, on her narrow hips, thighs, arms, chest… He couldn't control his need and she couldn't find the courage to stop him. He had her back pinned to the couch, taking a momentary break in between kisses to stare at her. It was as though he was seeing through her, and not at her. It was all the break she needed. She grabbed her wand from his pocket and yelled.

"Stupify." She shouted momentarily stunning him. She wanted him to be able to make it back to his dorms tonight, all she needed was a head start to get back to McGonagall's. That and to place a disillusionment charm so he couldn't spot her. Thankfully it worked.

"Where have you been!" A worried voice called from the master suite. Hermione sighed loudly, not wanting to explain the situation to the older woman.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." The younger woman replied and walked towards her own rooms. Thankfully, McGonagall left her alone, noticing the sad look crossing Hermione's face.

'What am I getting myself into?' The girl asked herself in disgust. She was making things more complicated than they should have been. She was risking her mission and her safety and putting herself in a Death Eater's path. She didn't want to admit she may have been taking on more than she could handle at the moment but her Gryffindor need to save people just kept kicking in. Imagine what would happen if no one had to die, not a single soul. If she could save Dumbledore from falling off that Tower? If she could safe Snape from a life of self pity and guilt and possible unrequited love? If she could save Sirius from spending 12 years in Azkaban only to fall through the Curtain and to an unlikely death? If she could save one or both of Harry's parents so he wouldn't be forced to live with his horrible aunt and uncle for 17 years? There were so many what if's, and for the first time in a long time she felt something bubbling up, a feeling she had never thought she could feel again: hope.

The four of them met first thing the next morning before breakfast. Hermione groaned, though being a morning person all her life, her dreams had not been as peaceful as of late due to a certain dark haired dark eyed former Potion's teacher.

"We need to come up with an order on how we're going to approach the artifacts in question." Dumbledore started the small meeting. A bleary eyed Sirius, obviously not used to waking up so early, glared grudgingly in reply.

"Voldemort and Nagini will obviously be the last there's no question about that. The ring and the diadem are taken care of so that leaves us the lesser of three evil's: the locket, the cup and the diary." Hermione chimed into the discussion.

"Sirius, do you have any contact at all with your brother?" Dumbledore asked the much younger man before him.

"I don't hate him if that's what you mean. My mother was the one to disown me, but me and Regulus have never been that close since he was mother's obvious favorite." His tone was bitter, but not overly much. It was as though he had come to terms with the inevitable long ago that he wasn't accepted amongst his own flesh and blood.

"I'm going to suggest to you, though I know it may be difficult for you, to start reaching out to your brother. Do not be overly affectionate or too inquisitive that it will put up red flags and expose us. Reach out as a brother, a worried brother; inquire into the health of your mother, your house, whatever you think is best. See if his loyalties aren't already fading towards his master, see if he has secured the locket or at least knows about its existence. Can I trust you to do that?" The Headmaster inquired to pouting dark haired man. 48 hours ago Sirius Black was a carefree individual looking forward to flirting with pretty women and planning his best friend's wedding. Already his eyes and face have aged in knowledge and understanding. He was being forced to grow up before he was ready. Hermione sent him a pleading look in understanding. Her own childhood had been ripped from her and forced her to grow beyond her years. She hated anyone else's doing the same, but if they were successful, after the next year or so they could enjoy a much longer and happier life. If they were successful they could be whatever they wanted, act however they wanted, it was only two years after all.

"I can do that." He said with steely determination in his dark brown eyes.

"Then depending on your brother's reply we will set the order of the horcruxes from the information gathered. If Regulus is already wavering, we'll have him gather the diary from Malfoy's first, then the locket and last the cup. Breaking into Gringotts will not be easy to accomplish and if our cover is blown then I would rather is happen there than anywhere else." The Headmaster replied to the group.

"No, I assure you breaking into that bank is not as easy as it sounds." Hermione muttered in a low breath.

"I take it you ran into some troubles Miss Granger?" The Transfiguration teacher asked wearily.

"Many. But with Sirius's help it may be less difficult. We only had the knowledge that a rogue goblin gave us about the older wizarding vaults. Sirius will actually be familiar with them and can navigate through them better than we did. This time I won't have to disguise myself to get through the wards." She mentioned in retort.

"Then it's settled. We will await the results of Sirius's investigation and in the meantime I think we should relax and prepare ourselves." The twinkling blue eyes of Dumbledore replied back to the group.

"Sir, are you going to alert the Order about our mission?" Hermione asked, a question that had been lingering in her mind for the last day or so. She knew Dumbledore created the original Order of the Phoenix back in James and Lily's time, but she wasn't sure when it actually formed.

"The Order is still relatively new and young in its formation, Miss Granger. We are still attempting to recruit followers to our cause to counteract Voldemort's own forces." He replied back.

"Though, who better to help gather recruits, Albus. She obviously knows who was in our original forces and who in the future will join our forces, while Mr. Black reaches out to his brother she can help us recruit fighters." Professor McGonagall chimed in and Dumbledore's face lit up happily.

"You're absolutely right, Minerva. If it's alright with you, of course, Miss Granger." He asked though he already knew her answer before the words left her lips.

"Of course." She replied calculating in her mind the names and faces of the members of the original Order that Harry had once shown her to the people in the future who would be alive now and still help. It wasn't many, but she had to do what she could.

Elsewhere in the castle.

"Stupid chit of a girl." A dark voice rang out into the empty Slytherin dorms. He barely got another retort out before his arm began burning and he felt the pull draw him back to his master. He grabbed his cloak and mask and followed a number of other Slyterins outside the confines of Hogwarts grounds where they could apparate safely.

"My loyal subjects." A voice rang out as the large group of followers took to their knee in subjugation. The damage of splitting his soul into seven equal parts had already done the damage to his once handsome feature. His eyes were blood red like in the future, but at this time he still resembled more man than snake.

"It has been some time since I have called upon you, friends. I have been biding my time, calling in reinforcements. It won't be long before we can fully make ourselves known to the masses." Not that there weren't plenty of rumors out there anyway. Behind the silver skull masks all eyes followed their master's snake, Nagini as she slivered about, ready to strike at any moment upon command of her master.

"I think we need to start giving the masses a taste of what's in store for them. A preview if you will. Lucius."

"Yes, my lord." The arrogant voice of the blonde young man replied.

"I want you to lead a few of my closest followers and have some…fun. I don't think I have to warn you about keeping a low profile while you're at it, do I?" The heir of Slytherin's dangerous voice loomed in the quiet air around them.

"No, my lord." He sincerely replied.

"Excellent. Then without further adieu, I bring you tonight's Mudblood entertainment." He replied as a group of mainly young men and women were lead out as though on a string. None would live to see another sunrise after the night's festivities were completed.

"Lucius, my friend." Severus Snape exclaimed as she shook his friend's hand and watched the entertainment from afar, for now.

"Severus, how are you? Still stuck at that blasted school?" He smiled in reply to his younger friend. Lucius was two years older than Snape though he was currently engaged to the boy's classmate, Narcissa Black.

"It serves its purpose. How are things in the outside world?" He good naturedly asked as they took a seat further away from inquisitive ears.

"Couldn't be better. Business is booming as usual and the wedding plans are finalized for this coming winter. I doubt I have to ask, but you'll be there of course?"

"Naturally." The darker haired friend replied.

"Good. Well then, any prospective jobs for your post-Hogwarts time?" The sound of a female scream momentarily stopped their conversation as both looked up to see a figure, half naked, floating above the heads of the gray robes below them. With a chuckle both men turned back to their conversation.

"Not a clue. Much of my time is spent helping our lord with some necessary potions, but perhaps once everything dies down, per say, I'll get around to opening a store of my own." The younger man stated.

"If you need any…financial assistance…please, do not hesitate to ask. I'm always on the lookout for further financial gain, as you know." The blonde laughed at his own amusement.

"Yes, Malfoy, I know." With a last shared laugh the two friends left to join in the amusement of their cohorts. Neither of them knew that a young pair of gray eyes had heard their relatively innocent conversation.


	6. Chapter Five

**AN: Okay so I had thought I had everything planned out in my head. Once school started I would try to catch up on my writing on weekends and concentrate on school during the week. Well it turns out I got too addicted to READING other people's stories and therefore neglecting my own (shame shame). I had this chapter at least already pre-written so I'm saved for the moment (go me!) After a grueling test this coming Friday I should have some time to write next weekend (as long as my addiction to reading slows down a bit…) Okay. Here's at least this story's update ('In the Garden' will have to wait another week).**

**Chapter Five**

"You know it's a shame you didn't attend school here. It would have been nice having another girl around to talk too. There aren't, as you can see, too many Gryffindor girls in my year. Aside from Alice who keeps mostly to herself." Lily joked as the two girls watched the four marauders take on a group of Ravenclaws in a mock Quidditch game.

"Yeah, it would have been nice to go to school here." The brunette replied forlornly. The redhead smiled in return not knowing that the girl beside her did indeed attend school there for 6 years and was best friends with her future child.

"So did you have a boyfriend in school? I don't mean to pry or anything, but I can see Sirius seems to like you and I think you'd be good for him, keep him grounded. But if you have a boyfriend…" She started to trail off waiting on the reply of her older friend.

"I was seeing someone, awhile ago. He was a great man, or would have been a great man. He was killed in an accident…" Well it wasn't the full truth, but it was a partial truth anyway.

"I'm so sorry. What was he like?" She asked.

"He was always the goof ball. Always the 'act now think later type'. He was smart, in his own way, though not overly book smart. He was very tall, and loved to play Quidditch more than anything. He came from a large loving family who were like a surrogate family of my own in a way. But most of all, he was a loyal and loving friend." She couldn't cry, she didn't think she'd have the power to stop if she started. There was no time for tears because being here, doing what she was doing, would ensure that he wouldn't die on the battlefield protecting his friends and family. She couldn't cry because in this world he wasn't dead, and may never be for a very long time. It was hard to separate the future she knew, from the one she was beginning to carve out intentionally and that was just fine by her. But she could cry over the fact that he would never be hers, not if she survived anyway. Her place was no longer in that future because there was no way _back_ to that future, at least not permanently. If she succeeded there was a possibility that a girl named Hermione Granger would start Hogwarts, she may befriend Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, and then sometime during her 7th year she would disappear, never to be heard from again. It was one possibility that she had to live with; the other would be that she would just eventually cease to exist, though that was less likely since her parents were Muggles and this new future wouldn't likely interfere with them having a child. There were simply too many 'what if's'.

"He sounds perfect." Lily smiled in reply and went back to watching her own fiancé weaving in and out of players on the Quidditch field.

"He was." Hermione responded and watched the group finish their match. She couldn't help but think of Lily's words however.

_ 'It would be safe to start something with Sirius…" The angel on her shoulder argued._

_'But what about Severus...he needs someone to save him too.' The devil on the opposite should retorted back._

'Sirius or Severus? Both were dark haired dark eyed and dangerous. Sirius was a ladies man, a charmer, a lover, but he had a good heart. Severus was a product of his environment: a rough childhood, a bullied school life, and in the end couldn't get the girl he wanted. He delved deep into the dark arts and knew spells and potions that few others could ever master. He was dangerous, but he was passionate, and would seek redemption in the future.' If she stayed in the past, if she survived and lived through their plans, she could easily see a future with one of them. She could have children that would attend school and be playmates for Harry and Ron. It was possible, even if it wasn't very probable at the moment.

"So why do they make graduates wait around for so long after NEWT's?" Hermione asked the younger woman. Having never gotten a chance to take her NEWTs herself, it was a viable question.

"They do a formal graduation ceremony after the junior classes leave. You aren't forced to stay, not if you don't want to. But most of the students wait around for it." The girls took notice that the boys were just about done with their match and so they decided to start heading down to meet them. Hermione hung around more so to ask Sirius if he had gotten a chance to talk to his brother yet. She knew they had plenty of time, but the sooner their plans went into effect, the better in her opinion.

"I know you miss your Ron, Hermione. But I think you should give Sirius a chance." The redhead whispered as she grabbed a hold of her lover's arm.

"Easier said than done." The brunette muttered under her breath and she ran to catch up with the boy in question.

"Any news?" She asked the dark haired charmer in hushed whisper while following her friend's lead and grabbing a hold of his Quidditch causing sweaty arms.

"Dumbledore said to start slow, so I sent him an owl asking how everything was going and apologizing for ignoring him while in school. Blaming of course the difference of Houses and everything." He whispered in reply. The group made their turn around the gardens and Hermione caught sight of a pair of black eyes watching her from beneath a shaded tree nearby. The others hadn't spotted him, which she was grateful for, she didn't want to deal with a confrontation between them.

The black eyes were lit up in a jealous rage. He wasn't happy with her arm on Sirius's; his mortal enemy. She attempted a half smile in his direction but he wouldn't be appeased, and after last night she was afraid to see what would happen if he ever got a chance to be alone with her again.

"Can we talk?" Another voice chimed in. The rest of the marauders had went ahead to give Sirius and Hermione some 'alone' time. Hermione barely recognized the 16 year old boy that stopped him. There were some similarities between the two brothers, but in truthfulness they couldn't be more different.

"Go on ahead, Hermione. I'll catch up with you at dinner." Sirius said and left to talk to his nervous looking brother. Not bothering to slow down enough to give Snape the advantage, Hermione took off at a speed run under the pretense of catching up with the rest of her friends.

"I don't think so…"The deep baritone voice of Severus Snape whispered seductively as he grabbed her elbow and charmed the two of them simultaneously before leading her towards the dark forest. It was a bit unnerving to see herself blending into the background.

'He's dangerous.' She thought to herself as a thousand different warning lights went off in her mind. Not only was he going to still be angry at her from last night and her taking off after stealing back her wand, but now he thought she was interested in his worst enemy, Sirius Black.

He took the charm off as they entered the outer realm of the Forbidden Forest. Not inside enough to be subject to its many dangerous animals, but far enough out of the scope of others in the afternoon light.

"Snape, please, you're hurting my wrist." Hermione pleaded as they finally came to a stop near a large oak tree. His face was still red and his eyes livid from the scene he had witnessed earlier.

"What are you doing with that dog, Granger?" He snarled and it took every ounce of will power and courage she possessed not to step away from him at that moment. He was deadly enough, powerful enough, to do serious damage if she so much as thought the wrong thing right now.

"He's a friend, Snape. We were just talking." She replied calmly as she chanced a look into his onyx eyes. His tense stature let up just a small bit, enough that she could relax her own stance slightly.

"Then why. Were. You. Hanging. On. Him." He pronounced each word with care and caution as he gripped his wand tightly. It was obvious that no amount of words would appease his anger at the moment so she did the only thing she could think of; she launched herself into his arms and begged for the power to persuade him with her body instead.

Just as the night before they gripped each other with a deep need and desire. She pretending that the man in front of her wasn't her once feared Potion's teacher, and he pretending that she was a certain redheaded Muggleborn. Neither was well versed or practiced in seduction, neither had much experience with significant others to finesse techniques valued by other hormonal teenagers. All she needed was an excuse to not have this deadly young man self destruct on her. His hands were everywhere, buried deep within the wild curls of her brown hair, gripping the edges of her plum colored robes. Her hands found themselves a mind of their own as they held on to his narrow hips. Tongues danced wildly in passion as he turned the smaller woman around, not wanting her to be the aggressor any longer. The bark of the oak tree dug into her back and he hitched her legs around her waist. His teeth racked the shallow place between neck and shoulder once again, marking her as his own, a shallow bruise as a reminder of his unspoken promise.

"Need…to…get…back. McGonagall." She breathed out harshly in between kisses as his lips once again found themselves to her face. She hated that he could bring this out of her, she hated what she had to do to ensure everyone's survival. If her friend's knew, even Sirius who was told the whole truth about her history, they could turn their backs on her. They couldn't know or it could affect the whole mission.

"You're mine, Granger. Remember that." He breathed into her neck once more, nipping the already swollen mark he left at the edge of her collar. She didn't have the words to speak, so she merely nodded in affirmation.

'Let him think what he needs to as long as he survives.' She thought to herself as she made her way back to the castle on legs that felt like jelly. Only three days left, she could survive that, right?

The next morning the group was taking their time reading the Daily Prophet and eating a seemingly quiet breakfast when they heard a shriek come from two tables away, from the Hufflepuff table.

"No!" A voice cried in distress as the girl in question gripped the edges of the paper in terror. Hermione and the rest, curious to what was going on read their own copies of the paper; a look of sadness washed over the group.

_'Raid on Muggle village. 12 dead. Suspects at large.' _The caption read and a look of distress swept across Lily's eyes moments before an owl dropped a Muggle looking letter off in front of her.

"What's wrong, Lily?" Hermione asked her friend while the boys had their hands on her shoulders, showing their support.

"It's my parent's village." She whispered as she read the letter in front of her. Hermione glanced quickly at the return address. It was listed as a Muggle University that she was unfamiliar with, but the name on the bottom she was very familiar with: Petunia Evans.

"Lily I'm so sorry." Hermione said; tears of her own threatening to fall down her face. Harry never knew why he was forced to live with his Aunt Petunia after his parents were killed, he always hoped there would be another aunt or uncle or grandparent out there that would save him from that fate. James had already mentioned that his parents died recently leaving him their home and savings, but no one knew what happened to Lily's parents. She now had her answer: they were killed by Death Eaters. A thousand thoughts ran through Hermione's mind at once.

'Did they know that Lily's family lived there? Were they targeted specifically or was it just a coincidence? No…if they were intentionally after Lily's family then they would have gone after Pentunia too, and we know she survives and marries Vernon Dursley.' She thought to herself. Still battling her internal debate she chanced a glance towards the Slytherin table. Severus Snape was watching Lily closely, as it was his parent's village that got raided as well. His face was a mask of indifference though his eyes held something more…

"James. I think I'm ready to leave now. I don't want to stay for graduation. I don't want to face my sister alone knowing that this is one more thing she will blame me for." Lily cried as her fiancé helped her up. Hermione looked towards the Head Table and noticed that Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn were both coming down to talk to Lily and help her gather her things.

"Sirius?" Hermione asked the man beside her. He glanced back and nodded, knowing what she was going to ask before saying anything.

"I'll stop by your rooms in fifteen minutes. I'm going to go see them off." He replied without looking in her direction. Remus, Peter, and Sirius then took off after their friends and Hermione was left alone at the table, the paper still displayed before them. She wanted to follow them but knew she'd just be intruding. They've known her for years whereas she just met them less than a week ago. She wanted to save Harry's parents, it was a shame she couldn't save the rest of his family as well, but some things couldn't be saved in the end. It was something she had to come to terms with herself. There was still a chance not everyone would survive, but if she was successful at least some of them could, and would. If Fate wanted someone bad enough, her altering time would make no difference in the end.

Fifteen minutes seemed like such a long time as the brunette paced back and forth. Severus hadn't attempted to corner her on the way out, though she figured it was killing him not to be able to comfort his once close friend. Hermione hadn't read if any of his parents were killed in the raid, it was likely that his Muggle father would have been involved as one of the victims. Knowing what she did about his childhood it wouldn't have surprised her if he had the Death Eaters intentionally hit his family village just to take out the alcoholic and abusive father he grew up with.

"How is she?" Hermione worriedly asked her dark haired friend as he came slowly into the compartment.

"She's taking it…rather well. She's more upset that she didn't think ahead to protect her family considering the current state of our world. More importantly I think she's more upset about having to see her sister and the guilt that'll go along with it." Sirius replied to the slightly older woman.

"I didn't know or I would have said something to you about it. Petunia doesn't talk about her family to Harry, in fact it takes Hagrid coming to visit him to even know about his own parents. He always wondered what happened to the rest of his relatives but no one ever told him." She was holding back the tears that desperately threatened to fall for two people she had never even met.

"No one is blaming you, Hermione. How can you tell us if you didn't know? What's more important is that you told us what you could and if we can we will save James and Lily. Most important is if we can defeat HIM, here, then we can save the dreadful future you grew up to know. There will always be causalities, that is something we have all grown up with lately."

"I know. I know that we might not all survive. I was thinking the same thing earlier. But after seeing what I went through, even one more death is too much to bear. If you saw what I have, if you've lived through what I have…" She left the question unanswered as Professor McGonagall walked through the portrait and motioned for them to follow her.

"Where are we going, Professor?" Hermione asked her mentor quizzically.

"Emergency meeting with the Headmaster. Mr. Black, you were successful then?" She questioned him as they rounded up the stairs past the gargoyle.

"Yes." Hermione looked at the younger version of Harry's godfather in surprise. She didn't think Regulus would turn so fast. Then again, even in the future she was told that he doesn't last very long in the Death Eater's company before he sees the error of his ways.

"Good. Then we'll begin planning immediately." The older woman replied as they joined the serious looking Headmaster into his office.


End file.
